If you have a book you want get out into the world, a question you’ll encounter sooner or later is: traditional or self-publish?

Each route is wildly different. But one is not “better” than the other. The path that is right for you will depend entirely on what your goals are.

[Full disclosure: I have a literary agent who works to get my fiction books published via the traditional route. That’s the path I want to take as an author–but it may not be right for you!]

If you’re new to the book-writing party, you may not be familiar with the traditional or self-publish debate. In an effort to take the information down to the studs, here’s a brief overview of what you could expect, depending on the path you choose.

Traditional Publishing

This is when a publishing house decides they want to make your book available to a wide audience. When it comes to getting a traditional book deal, platform is everything. How big is your social media following? What are your credentials? The higher your profile, the more likely your book will make the publishing house money, which is the ultimate end goal.

So: if you’re an MD, Ph.D., or other recognized expert and you want a book to further establish your expertise. . .traditional publishing is probably the way to go.

Perks of traditional publishing: you get an advance! Though you give 15% of that to your agent, if you have one. And you don’t get it all at once. (Do some Googling if you want to know more).

A note: Publishing moves like molasses. So say your book is all ready to go, and you get a book deal tomorrow. Your book ain’t coming out anytime soon. Be prepared to wait at least a year for your book’s release date. That’s just the way it goes, folks. (Fiction is even slower!)

Again–if you want the backing of a publishing team and the esteem of having a traditionally published book, the wait may be totally worth it. It all depends on your goals for writing the book. That’s why knowing your why is so important.

What is your end goal for writing your book? Answer that question first, and it will inform every other decision.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing may be for you if. . .

–You want to get a book out SOON.

–You want to use your book as a lead magnet, not necessarily to position you as an “expert.”

–Your primary goal for writing a book is to support your platform.

–You want to take the reins of the publishing process (finding a cover designer, organizing your launch, etc.)

A note: Self-publishing most likely involves less money than traditional publishing. You don’t get an advance. And unless your platform is Steve Jobs-like, you’re not likely to make a huge amount of passive income from your book, either.

BUT. If you view your book as a business creation tool–as an attraction method for high-end clients–then it may be worth the time and monetary investment in creating it. Be strategic and figure out how many clients you’d need to attract to earn back and then grow your investment.

Like I said–neither traditional publishing nor self-publshing  is necessarily BETTER than the other. It all comes down to your goals and your why.

(Do I sound like a broken record yet?)

It bears repeating again and again. Spend a good amount of time on the why for your book. Figure out who you want to reach, what you want to say, and what you want your book to do in the world.

From there, the path will appear.